yī zhuǎn yǎn ， yòu shì shí yú nián guò qù 。
一转眼，又是十余年过去。
A decade and more passed in the blink of an eye.
zhè shì yī pǔ tōng de zǎo chén ， zǎo qǐ de niǎo ér yī jiù jī jī zhā zhā de zài zhī yè jiān xún zhǎo zháo měi wèi kě kǒu de chóng zhì 。
这是一普通的早晨，早起的鸟儿依旧叽叽喳喳的在枝叶间寻找着美味可口的虫豸。
It was a typical morning, with early birds chirping among the branches, searching for tasty insects. The valley seemed tranquil and peaceful.
yī qiè xiǎn de níng jìng ér xiáng hé 。
一切显得宁静而祥和。
Suddenly, a piercing sound reached their ears as two streaks of different colors landed here. The light faded, revealing two people's faces.
tū rán ， pò kōng shēng chuán rù ěr duǒ ， què shì liǎng dào bù tóng yán sè de jīng hóng ， lái dào le cǐ chù 。
突然，破空声传入耳朵，却是两道不同颜sè的惊虹，来到了此处。
On the left stood a young man with full white hair, his handsome face almost otherworldly, yet his eyes held a sense of沧桑 (weariness). On the right was a silver-eyed maiden whose beauty was equally striking.
guāng máng shōu liǎn ， xiǎn chū le liǎng gè rén de róng yán 。
光芒收敛，显出了两个人的容颜。
Their gazes swept over the valley, but no obvious signs were visible. The entire area was clearly under heavy protection by various restrictions.
zuǒ biān ， shì yī mǎn tóu bái fà de shào nián ， róng mào yīng jùn dé jìn hū yāo yì ， piān piān liǎng zhǐ yǎn jīng què chōng mǎn le cāng sāng zhī gǎn 。
左边，是一满头白发的少年，容貌英俊得近乎妖异，偏偏两只眼睛却充满了沧桑之感。
They raised their eyebrows and exchanged amused glances. "Younger Brother Lin is truly cautious," said the Dragon-named youth with a sigh that sounded both envious and admiring. "Since we last parted ways, he hasn't shown his face much. It seems these two thousand years have been spent in seclusion."
yòu biān ， zé shì yī yǒu zhe yín sè móu zi de shào nǚ ， róng yán tóng yàng shí fēn de měi lì 。
右边，则是一有着银sè眸子的少女，容颜同样十分的美丽。
"Nothing unusual about that," replied the silver-eyed maiden dismissively. "Younger Brother Lin has advanced so far in such a short time; it's only natural for him to be a hard worker. Otherwise, how could he achieve such accomplishments?"
liǎng rén mù guāng sǎo guò ， biǎo miàn shàng suī rán kàn bù chū shén me ， dàn zhěng gè shān gǔ ， míng xiǎn dōu chǔ yú chóng chóng jìn zhì de bǎo hù 。
两人目光扫过，表面上虽然看不出什么，但整个山谷，明显都处于重重禁制的保护。
"You're right, but it also requires some leisure and taste for life," the Dragon-named youth said doubtfully.
liǎng rén méi tóu yī tiāo ， rěn bú zhù xiāng shì yī xiào 。
两人眉头一挑，忍不住相视一笑。
"Indeed, I'm not sure if Younger Brother Lin is meditating at this critical moment…" The silver-eyed maiden ran her fingers through her hair, her voice uncertain.
“ lín shī dì hái zhēn shì gòu xiǎo xīn de ， zì cóng shàng cì yī bié ， tā jiù jī hū méi yǒu lòu miàn guò ， kàn lái zhè liǎng qiān nián ， hái zhēn shì yì zhí zài bì guān 。” lóng xìng shào nián wēi wēi tàn xī ， shì jí dù ， shì pèi fú de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ lǐ 。
“林师弟还真是够小心的，自从上次一别，他就几乎没有露面过，看来这两千年，还真是一直在闭关。”龙姓少年微微叹息，似嫉妒，似佩服的声音传入耳朵里。
Before she could finish, an unexpected change occurred. The bright sky suddenly darkened as thick clouds gathered overhead, lightning flashing across the blackened sky. The entire transformation happened in a flash.
“ zhè yòu shén me xī qí ， lín shī dì duǎn duǎn shù qiān nián ， xiū wèi jiù néng jī zēng dào rú cǐ dì bù ， zì rán shì kǔ xiū zhě ， fǒu zé ， yòu zěn me kě néng yǒu rú jīn de chéng jiù ne ？” yín tóng shào nǚ bù yǐ wéi rán de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ ， yī fēn gēng yún ， yī fēn shōu huò ， shuí yòu zhī dào lín xuān zài fēng guāng de bèi hòu ， qí shí chī le duō shǎo kǔ ， tā nà yī shēn lìng tóng jiē xiū shì mò kě kàng yù de shén tōng ， zǒng bù chéng shì píng kōng diào xià lái de 。
“这又什么稀奇，林师弟短短数千年，修为就能jī增到如此地步，自然是苦修者，否则，又怎么可能有如今的成就呢？”银瞳少女不以为然的声音传入耳朵，一分耕耘，一分收获，谁又知道林轩在风光的背后，其实吃了多少苦，他那一身令同阶修士莫可抗御的神通，总不成是凭空掉下来的。
The disturbance of the earth's energy was even more apparent. Endless amounts of energy condensed into colorful light points, rushing towards them. The silver-eyed maiden and Dragon-named youth exchanged worried glances but quickly turned excited.
“ lín shī dì shì hěn nǔ lì méi cuò ， dàn zǒng yě yào yǒu zhè fèn xián qíng yǎ zhì cái kě ， huàn zuò nǐ wǒ ， jí shǐ xiǎng nà zuò ， yě gēn běn méi yǒu duō shǎo shí jiān de 。”
“林师弟是很努力没错，但总也要有这份闲情雅致才可，换做你我，即使想那做，也根本没有多少时间的。”
"Young Brother Lin is about to advance to the late-stage spirit formation? This speed is astonishing," they thought. "If this continues, he might become a high-ranking cultivator capable of withstanding the heavenly tribulation one day."
lóng xìng shào nián tàn le yì kǒu qì ， zhè fān huà ， què bìng fēi hú yán luàn yǔ ， ér shì yǒu gǎn ér fā dì ， guò qù de liǎng qiān nián ， yún yǐn zōng huò dé le qián suǒ wèi yǒu de fā zhǎn ’ zōng mén de shì lì kuò zhǎn hěn kuài ， dàn yě yīn cǐ ， duō chū le bù zhī dào duō shǎo shì wù ， tā yǔ shī jiě ， dōu kuài máng fēi le ， lián měi rì bì zuò de gōng kè ， yě yǒu suǒ yā suō ， gèng bú yào shuō bì guān zhè yàng làng fèi shí jiān de shē chǐ le 。
龙姓少年叹了一口气，这番话，却并非胡言乱语，而是有感而发地，过去的两千年，云隐宗获得了前所未有的发展’宗门的势力扩展很快，但也因此，多出了不知道多少事务，他与师姐，都快忙飞了，连每rì必做的功课，也有所压缩，更不要说闭关这样浪费时间的奢侈了。
They realized that Younger Brother Lin had received their transmission and was now in critical moments of his cultivation.
nǎ néng xiàng lín shī dì zuò gè xián yún yě hè ， tā zhè shuǎi shǒu zhǎng guì dāng qǐ lái zhe shí shū fú 。
哪能像林师弟做个闲云野鹤，他这甩手掌柜当起来着实舒服。
The sky darkened further as energy swirled around them. The two spirit formation cultivators felt their breaths becoming strained.
dāng rán ， lóng xìng shào nián huà shì zhè me shuō ， duì lín xuān ， kě shì méi yǒu fēn háo de yuàn yóu ， qiě bù shuō tā shù cì jiù yún yǐn zōng yú shuǐ huǒ ， yú běn mén ， yú zì jǐ ’ dōu shì yǒu dà ēn de 。
当然，龙姓少年话是这么说，对林轩，可是没有分毫的怨尤，且不说他数次救云隐宗于水火，于本门，于自己’都是有大恩的。
They exchanged a glance, both feeling alarmed. Especially the silver-eyed maiden, who herself was at late-stage spirit formation. Her advancement had been much more subdued compared to this.
hé kuàng ， zōng mén xiàn zài rú cǐ xīng wàng ， zì jǐ shēn wèi tài shàng zhǎng lǎo ， zì rán yǒu mò dà de hǎo chù ， máng guī máng ， qí shí shì lè zài qí zhōng de 。
何况，宗门现在如此兴旺，自己身为太上长老，自然有莫大的好处，忙归忙，其实是乐在其中的。
But considering Lin Xuan's far superior strength over his peers, they felt relieved and decided to watch from afar.
suǒ wèi bì guān ， bù guò shì shuō xiào bà le ， zì jǐ de shí lì ， zì jǐ xīn zhōng yǒu shù ， zhè bèi zi zài nǔ lì ， ruò yǒu yī xiē jī yuán de huà ， dào yě yǒu kě néng jìn jiē dào fēn shén hòu qī ， dàn dù jié ， què shì xiǎng yě bié xiǎng dì 。
所谓闭关，不过是说笑罢了，自己的实力，自己心中有数，这辈子再努力，若有一些机缘的话，倒也有可能进阶到分神后期，但渡劫，却是想也别想地。
Time passed slowly as the scene became increasingly terrifying. The sky was no longer just dark clouds; several colorful ones appeared in their view. Red clouds were brighter than sunset, burning like flames, driving away the coldness of the sky. Nearby trees and flowers withered under this heat.
tā gū mō zhe ， xià yī cì dà tiān jié ， yīng gāi kě yǐ dù guò ， suǒ yǐ bì bù bì guān ， xiàn zài yě gēn běn méi yǒu shén me guān xì de 。
他估摸着，下一次大天劫，应该可以度过，所以闭不闭关，现在也根本没有什么关系的。
The sky seemed to turn into a sea of fire, but soon, a hurricane appeared out of nowhere, sweeping across the heavens. The clouds scattered, replaced by a vortex several dozen feet in diameter… The two onlookers exchanged worried glances.
“ hǎo le ， hái yǒu zhèng shì yào zuò ， wǒ men liǎ jiù bú yào zài zhè lǐ xián liáo le 。”
“好了，还有正事要做，我们俩就不要在这里闲聊了。”
"Young Sister, don't you think this is too ominous? Even if Younger Brother Lin's cultivation far surpasses his peers, such an advancement would be too extraordinary…" said the Dragon-named youth with worry etched on his face.
yín tóng shào nǚ shuō dào zhè lǐ ， yù shǒu yī fú ， yī dào huǒ guāng yóu yī xiù zhōng fēi lüè ér chū 。
银瞳少女说到这里，玉手一拂，一道火光由衣袖中飞掠而出。
"It does seem a bit off."
chuán yīn fú ！
传音符！
The silver-eyed maiden raised her head, her expression darkening to the extreme. "The earth’s energy is too chaotic. The black and purple clouds are not part of the tribulation. If I hadn't seen…"
yī shǎn ， jiù mò rù shān gǔ bú jiàn le 。
一闪，就没入山谷不见了。
The Dragon-named youth's voice trailed off as he hesitated. He seemed to have a conclusion but was hesitant to speak it aloud.
suí hòu liǎng rén hán xiào zài nà ér děng zhe 。
随后两人含笑在那儿等着。
"Devil Tribulation Clouds!"
yī zhǎn chá de shí jiān guò qù le ， fēn háo dòng jìng yě wú 。
一盏茶的时间过去了，分毫动静也无。
The silver-eyed maiden spoke more directly, voicing her doubts. "Young Sister, do you think so too? That would be very dangerous."
liǎng zhù xiāng de shí jiān guò qù le ， yī jiù shì bú jiàn yǒu rén chū lái “ shī jiě ， lín shī dì bú huì shì bù zài ba ！”
两柱香的时间过去了，依旧是不见有人出来“师姐，林师弟不会是不在吧！”
Their hearts raced. Devil tribulation clouds appearing here meant Younger Brother Lin was about to face the heavenly tribulation just as he was about to advance.
“ yīng gāi bú huì ba ， lín shī dì zuò shì jǐn shèn ， ruò zhēn yǒu shì yào chū yuǎn mén ér ， zěn me yě yīng gāi gěi wǒ men liú xià yī dào kǒu xìn ér 。”
“应该不会吧，林师弟做事谨慎，若真有事要出远门儿，怎么也应该给我们留下一道口信儿。”
Such a situation was rare in all three realms; it happened but rarely. After all, tribulations were random and only appeared when one's lifespan was nearing its end. Cultivators who couldn't pass their tribulations usually prepared for their final moments calmly. Those with confidence would seek a suitable place for the tribulation and ask friends to help ensure safety.
“ huà shì zhè me shuō ， kě lín shī dì ruò zài dòng fǔ ， shōu dào nǐ wǒ de chuán yīn fú ， zěn me huì fēn háo dòng jìng yě wú 。” lóng xìng shào nián hú yí de shēng yīn chuán rù ěr duǒ 。
“话是这么说，可林师弟若在洞府，收到你我的传音符，怎么会分毫动静也无。”龙姓少年狐疑的声音传入耳朵。
Even diligent cultivators would pause their cultivation in those decades, let alone attempt to break through barriers during such times.
“ zhè wǒ yě bù qīng chǔ ， nán dào shuō ， lín shī dì zhèng xiū liàn dào le jǐn yào shí kè …”
“这我也不清楚，难道说，林师弟正修炼到了紧要时刻…”
Though the chances of success after breaking through were nearly 100%, failure at this critical moment could be disastrous. It was common knowledge that a cultivator's weakest state occurred during advancement and any disturbance could lead to dire consequences, including falling into madness.
yín tóng shào nǚ lǐ le lǐ fà sī ， shēng yīn yě shì bù què dìng yǐ jí 。
银瞳少女理了理发丝，声音也是不确定以极。
However, despite these facts, with so many cultivators in existence over millennia, some had attempted to break through just as their tribulations were about to fall, only to meet their end. This was not just recorded in ancient texts; common sense dictated that such a situation would be fatal even for the most powerful beings.
rán ér huà yīn wèi luò ， yì biàn tū qǐ ， yuán běn míng liàng de tiān kōng ， tū rán yīn chén le xià qù ， wū yún yā dǐng ， kuáng fēng dà zuò ， yī dào dào shǎn diàn zài qī hēi de tiān mù shàng huá guò 。
然而话音未落，异变突起，原本明亮的天空，突然yīn沉了下去，乌云压顶，狂风大作，一道道闪电在漆黑的天幕上划过。
This explained why both of them looked grim. Not only did they have a long-standing bond with Lin Xuan but also from the perspective of the sect's interests, his survival was crucial. If anything happened to him, the forces unsatisfied with the sect's growth would surely emerge, leading not just to decline but potential annihilation.
zhěng gè biàn huà jī hū zài shùn xī jiù wán chéng le 。
整个变化几乎在瞬息就完成了。
They knew the principle well: "A large tree attracts much wind." What should they do?
gèng jiā míng xiǎn de shì tiān dì yuán qì de yì biàn ， wú jìn de yuán qì ， níng jié chéng wǔ yán liù sè de guāng diǎn ， xiàng zhe zhè biān fēng yōng ér lái yín tóng shào nǚ yǔ lóng xìng shào nián liǎn sè yī biàn ， dàn què bù jīng fǎn xǐ le qǐ lái 。
更加明显的是天地元气的异变，无尽的元气，凝结成五颜六sè的光点，向着这边蜂拥而来银瞳少女与龙姓少年脸sè一变，但却不惊反喜了起来。
Younger Brother Lin had really chosen a bad time to advance; he could have delayed it. They felt like ants on a hot pan, both anxious and frustrated.
zhè me kuài lín shī dì yòu yào jìn jí ， dá dào fēn shén hòu qī ？
这么快林师弟又要晋级，达到分神后期？
However, there was nothing they could do. Both advancement and tribulation were matters for the individual alone.
rú cǐ sù dù ， jiǎn zhí lìng rén chēng mù jié shé ， zhào zhè yàng xià qù ， yǒu cháo yī rì chéng wéi dù jié qī de dà néng xiū xiān zhě ， qǐ bù yě zhǐ rì kě dài le 。
如此速度，简直令人瞠目结舌，照这样下去，有朝一rì成为渡劫期的大能修仙者，岂不也指rì可待了。
The sky's anomalies continued as the heavenly tribulation lingered. The two became even more worried. Advancement took time; this was normal. But the delay in the tribulation indicated it was gathering strength, preparing to unleash its full power soon.
jīn tiān hái zhēn shì qiǎo hé ， guài bù dé lín shī dì duì zì jǐ de chuán yīn fú méi yǒu fǎn yìng le ， yuán lái shì jìn jí dào le zuì guān jiàn de shí kè 。
今天还真是巧合，怪不得林师弟对自己的传音符没有反应了，原来是晋级到了最关键的时刻。
Such a powerful tribulation would be unimaginable. Cultivators faced increasing danger with each stage of advancement, and these two unfortunate circumstances met head-on. Did Younger Brother Lin truly have no chance?
liǎng rén xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， dōu bù yuē ér tóng de xiàng hòu tuì qù ， lín shī dì jìn jí ， jì rán yǐ jīng yǐn qǐ le tiān xiàng yì biàn ， tā men kě bù xiǎng bèi yāng jí 。
两人想到这里，都不约而同的向后退去，林师弟晋级，既然已经引起了天象异变，他们可不想被殃及。
PS: Only a few days left until the month ends, but I'm still short of 200 votes to reach my goal. Fant Rain is really upset; I don't want to fail after all this effort to revive the story. Please support me during these tough times and vote for more monthly tickets! (To be continued)
A decade and more passed in the blink of an eye.
It was a typical morning, with early birds chirping among the branches, searching for tasty insects. The valley seemed tranquil and peaceful.
Suddenly, a piercing sound reached their ears as two streaks of different colors landed here. The light faded, revealing two people's faces.
On the left stood a young man with full white hair, his handsome face almost otherworldly, yet his eyes held a sense of沧桑 (weariness). On the right was a silver-eyed maiden whose beauty was equally striking.
Their gazes swept over the valley, but no obvious signs were visible. The entire area was clearly under heavy protection by various restrictions.
They raised their eyebrows and exchanged amused glances. "Younger Brother Lin is truly cautious," said the Dragon-named youth with a sigh that sounded both envious and admiring. "Since we last parted ways, he hasn't shown his face much. It seems these two thousand years have been spent in seclusion."
"Nothing unusual about that," replied the silver-eyed maiden dismissively. "Younger Brother Lin has advanced so far in such a short time; it's only natural for him to be a hard worker. Otherwise, how could he achieve such accomplishments?"
"You're right, but it also requires some leisure and taste for life," the Dragon-named youth said doubtfully.
"Indeed, I'm not sure if Younger Brother Lin is meditating at this critical moment…" The silver-eyed maiden ran her fingers through her hair, her voice uncertain.
Before she could finish, an unexpected change occurred. The bright sky suddenly darkened as thick clouds gathered overhead, lightning flashing across the blackened sky. The entire transformation happened in a flash.
The disturbance of the earth's energy was even more apparent. Endless amounts of energy condensed into colorful light points, rushing towards them. The silver-eyed maiden and Dragon-named youth exchanged worried glances but quickly turned excited.
"Young Brother Lin is about to advance to the late-stage spirit formation? This speed is astonishing," they thought. "If this continues, he might become a high-ranking cultivator capable of withstanding the heavenly tribulation one day."
They realized that Younger Brother Lin had received their transmission and was now in critical moments of his cultivation.
The sky darkened further as energy swirled around them. The two spirit formation cultivators felt their breaths becoming strained.
They exchanged a glance, both feeling alarmed. Especially the silver-eyed maiden, who herself was at late-stage spirit formation. Her advancement had been much more subdued compared to this.
But considering Lin Xuan's far superior strength over his peers, they felt relieved and decided to watch from afar.
Time passed slowly as the scene became increasingly terrifying. The sky was no longer just dark clouds; several colorful ones appeared in their view. Red clouds were brighter than sunset, burning like flames, driving away the coldness of the sky. Nearby trees and flowers withered under this heat.
The sky seemed to turn into a sea of fire, but soon, a hurricane appeared out of nowhere, sweeping across the heavens. The clouds scattered, replaced by a vortex several dozen feet in diameter… The two onlookers exchanged worried glances.
"Young Sister, don't you think this is too ominous? Even if Younger Brother Lin's cultivation far surpasses his peers, such an advancement would be too extraordinary…" said the Dragon-named youth with worry etched on his face.
"It does seem a bit off."
The silver-eyed maiden raised her head, her expression darkening to the extreme. "The earth’s energy is too chaotic. The black and purple clouds are not part of the tribulation. If I hadn't seen…"
The Dragon-named youth's voice trailed off as he hesitated. He seemed to have a conclusion but was hesitant to speak it aloud.
"Devil Tribulation Clouds!"
The silver-eyed maiden spoke more directly, voicing her doubts. "Young Sister, do you think so too? That would be very dangerous."
Their hearts raced. Devil tribulation clouds appearing here meant Younger Brother Lin was about to face the heavenly tribulation just as he was about to advance.
Such a situation was rare in all three realms; it happened but rarely. After all, tribulations were random and only appeared when one's lifespan was nearing its end. Cultivators who couldn't pass their tribulations usually prepared for their final moments calmly. Those with confidence would seek a suitable place for the tribulation and ask friends to help ensure safety.
Even diligent cultivators would pause their cultivation in those decades, let alone attempt to break through barriers during such times.
Though the chances of success after breaking through were nearly 100%, failure at this critical moment could be disastrous. It was common knowledge that a cultivator's weakest state occurred during advancement and any disturbance could lead to dire consequences, including falling into madness.
However, despite these facts, with so many cultivators in existence over millennia, some had attempted to break through just as their tribulations were about to fall, only to meet their end. This was not just recorded in ancient texts; common sense dictated that such a situation would be fatal even for the most powerful beings.
This explained why both of them looked grim. Not only did they have a long-standing bond with Lin Xuan but also from the perspective of the sect's interests, his survival was crucial. If anything happened to him, the forces unsatisfied with the sect's growth would surely emerge, leading not just to decline but potential annihilation.
They knew the principle well: "A large tree attracts much wind." What should they do?
Younger Brother Lin had really chosen a bad time to advance; he could have delayed it. They felt like ants on a hot pan, both anxious and frustrated.
However, there was nothing they could do. Both advancement and tribulation were matters for the individual alone.
The sky's anomalies continued as the heavenly tribulation lingered. The two became even more worried. Advancement took time; this was normal. But the delay in the tribulation indicated it was gathering strength, preparing to unleash its full power soon.
Such a powerful tribulation would be unimaginable. Cultivators faced increasing danger with each stage of advancement, and these two unfortunate circumstances met head-on. Did Younger Brother Lin truly have no chance?
PS: Only a few days left until the month ends, but I'm still short of 200 votes to reach my goal. Fant Rain is really upset; I don't want to fail after all this effort to revive the story. Please support me during these tough times and vote for more monthly tickets! (To be continued)